Irish rock band Thin Lizzy were heralded as a viable live act amid their string of 1970s hits, which are still played on classic rock radio fare. Led by charismatic bassist, composer and lead vocalist Phil Lynott, the group’s rollicking gait comes to fruition during this 1981 concert recorded and filmed for the German TV series, Rockplast.
Other than guitar great Gary Moore’s brief tenures, Thin Lizzy wasn’t necessarily recognized for a cutting-edge attack, especially when considering many of the 70s progressive-rock bands that integrated classical and jazz genres. But guitarists Brian Downey and Scott Gorham were among the first to employ twin lead guitar harmonic phrasings, similar to The Allman Brothers. Here, Lynott projects exuberance and plays to the crowd via his cheery mannerisms and omnipresent smile. With a get-up-and-go group-centric persona, the band blazes through its discography, including vibrant renditions of “Jailbreak,” “The Boys Are Back In Town, and sixteen other energized works.
Featuring catchy riffs, slow blues ballads, straight-four burners and Lynott’s witty lyricism, the musicians had the audience eating out of their hands, so to speak. With the boogie rocker “Chinatown,” and the Irish jig influenced burner “Black Rose,” to complement the occasional extended jam, the group conveyed a full-throttle impetus here. Yet, with band-members’ drug abuse related issues and personal matters, Thin Lizzy called it a day in 1983, followed by Lynott’s spotty solo career and 1986 death. However, Lynott’s legacy spawned tributes; reunion concerts featuring Moore, back-catalogue reissues and late 1990s reformations.
Tracks: Are You Ready?, Genocide (The Killing Of The Buffalo), Waiting For An Alibi, Jailbreak, Trouble Boys, Don’t Believe A Word, Memory Pain, Got To Give It Up, Chinatown, Hollywood (Down On Your Luck), The Cowboy Song, The Boys Are Back In Town, Suicide, Black Rose, Sugar Blues, Baby Drives Me Crazy, Rosalie, Desaster, Emerald
JazzReview.com
